When I boarded an airplane bound for London, England at Los Angeles International Airport in June 2009, my excitement nearly overwhelmed me, since I was finally fulfilling my life-long dream of visiting the British capital city. At the time, however, I did not realize that I was about to spend one of the most satisfying three-week periods of my life in a place that I would eventually think of as a beloved second home.
Although I typically feel intimidated when I find myself thrust into the nucleus of a large city, I discovered that being in London, a place bursting with continuous activity, energized me. I used this source of newfound vigor to my advantage by attempting to cerebrally absorb as much of the British culture as possible during my short visit. Theatres and museums were some of the venues I frequented the most during my first London trip, and the city provides numerous choices. Since I am a huge fan of Shakespeare’s plays, I saw two productions at the Globe Theatre, a personal favorite because of its historical significance and beautiful, yet relatively simple, wooden design. The Tate Modern, a massive building that neighbors the Globe, houses numerous pieces of modern art, and I developed a new appreciation of paintings and other works during the two hours I spent inside the museum. One of my most cherished experiences, however, was crossing the Millennium Bridge, a route for pedestrians that leads from the Globe and the Tate Modern to St. Paul’s Cathedral, while gazing in awe at the famous River Thames during the journey. The natural beauty of the river, combined with the tangible and ethereal evidence of history and culture infused within the city in a view from the crowded steel bridge, is the image of London that is permanently etched into my memory.
Of course, London offers countless cultural treasures, and I particularly enjoyed my time spent in the British Library, where I visited an excellent exhibit that focused on the life of King Henry VIII, and the National Portrait Gallery, where I viewed with reverence a painting of the three Brontë sisters. After trekking across London to attend other theatre productions and haunt additional museums, my three-week vacation had suddenly evaporated. The lively, eclectic city of London had permanently captured my affection, however, and I knew that part of my spirit would remain figuratively ingrained somewhere on the Millennium Bridge.